they won't bite. Yesterday was nice, got two Smallmouth and a Pickerel who cut the leader before I could grab him). But today the Smallmouth were just jumping all over the place all around me. Would not touch anything I tried, which were Sneaky Pete popper, wooly buggers (BH and not) and Heavy Helgi.

Any suggestions for getting their attention? Perhaps a good old dry fly?

Sounds like a dry fly couldn't hurt-- did you see any sign of bugs on the surface or in the air, or birds like swallows diving around picking insects out of the air? This time of year sometimes you'll birds swooping around at tree top level picking off mayfly spinners.

For smallmouth some general dry flies that might be good to have: size 10 or 12 bushy durable hairwing flies like Wulffs or Humpies, Stimulators, and foam or deer hair grasshopper patterns. These are funn to fish and would be a good choices to throw if they're not responding to your poppers and sneaky petes.

But depending where you are, and the water you fish fish, you may have some specific "Big Deal" hatches that may be going on now. If so, they're worth imitating with more specific patterns. In the East and Midwest, these summer hatches generally happen around dusk and into the evening and can drive smallmouth (and trout) nuts when they occur.

White fly - a white mayfly that hatches around dusk and into the evening often in huge numbers (White Wulff size 12 or 14)

Hex- This is a huge mayfly, with a many popular imitations, deer hair extended body, or 3xl size 6-8. Spinners can be active way after dark, so bring a flashlight and tie on a heavy leader.

Light Cahills and Pale Evening Duns there are a variety of summer mayflies with light creamy yellow body light cream or pale gray wings. Light Cahills, Pale Evening Duns or any similar shade dries like a creamy yellow body with a bleached deer hair wing Comparadun or Sparkle Dun size 12 or 14.

Hellgrammites (larvae) turn into Dobson Flies (adults) Woolly buggers for the larvae and 3" long Stimulators or foam creations for the adults.

Sometimes fish want natural foods...I have cast with active crappies all around me, and not a single bite from the flyrod!

Cheers,

Robert

hillbilly rick

07-16-2011 02:34 PM

Re: It's Summertime and the fish ar jumping, but

SXM,
I'm new to fly fishing and wouldn't know the name of any fly to use, but, I see the same thing often. The others are right, you probably have hatches going on now. These bass may be eating the bugs, but, they could also be eating the minnows, shad or small pan fish. The bass wait lower in the water column then rise fast to grab or injure prey above.
When spin fishing, I would tie on a small rattle trap, a Rapala count down minnow or a 4" tube jig on a1/16oz head to keep it high in the water. As for flies, I don't know what's what but I bet some one here knows what to use to mimic these. Try a minnow imitation that can be kept about a foot or so below the surface, if there is one.
Best of luck
Rick

caseywise

07-17-2011 12:40 AM

Re: It's Summertime and the fish ar jumping, but

rick,
nice looking bass!

casey

sxm

07-19-2011 09:12 PM

Re: It's Summertime and the fish ar jumping, but

Thanks for the responses. Yes, there were a lot of insects on the water that day. Those Smallmouth can really jump. One of its distinctive characteristics.

two_nymph_rig

07-27-2011 09:15 PM

Re: It's Summertime and the fish ar jumping, but

those are largemouth bass, not smallies. just so you know

kwb

07-28-2011 10:07 AM

Re: It's Summertime and the fish ar jumping, but

One word: ANTS

Don't dead drift them though, skate them on moving water and twitch them on still water...

I like to tie them on a steelhead dry fly hook, don't mess with the typical Trout type ant pattern, tie them a bit bigger...